Supporting the Reading Journey

Left to right: Colleen Luke, Maggie Freeman, Christine Alm, and Christi Brink co-founded Dyslexia Road. 

In Phoenix, Arizona, an estimated one in five children is diagnosed with dyslexia. That represents approximately four students in a classroom of 20.  

Christine Alm is the co-founder of Dyslexia Road and the mother of four children with dyslexia. According to Alm, each diagnosis is unique. That can make it difficult to understand a child’s learning needs.

Alm recently co-founded Dyslexia Road with three other moms whose children also have dyslexia, Christi Brink, Maggie Freeman, and Colleen Luke. The nonprofit provides literacy resources tailored for children who have the learning disability. 

WHAT IS DYSLEXIA?

Dyslexia is when a person has trouble processing written words because of difficulties identifying speech sounds. It can run in families. Alm explained that people with dyslexia “need more assistance in training their brain to read.” But, she added, many people with dyslexia are “extremely creative” and “extremely smart.” Whoopi Goldberg, Dav Pilkey, and Steven Spielberg are among the prominent Americans who have dyslexia.  

For Alm, the biggest challenge addressing dyslexia with her own children has been the stigma surrounding the topic. She believes that it’s helpful to facilitate open and honest discussions. “Dyslexia is nothing good or bad,” she said. “It’s just, ‘This is me.’” 

THE “POWER OF COMMUNITY”

Alm and the other co-founders of Dyslexia Road host community events to share resources about dyslexia. On March 2, the organization celebrated its launch with a community gathering. Turnout was high, signifying to Alm the “power of community.”

Dyslexia Road will be hosting three additional events this year to connect families with literacy experts. Guests will discuss the available educational options, how to get a diagnostic evaluation, and more. Additionally, the Dyslexia Road website offers resources such as book and podcast lists. 

“We’re excited to get out there and start pushing forward,” Alm said, “so that people can come together and figure out how to navigate this journey.”